hsandshoe mouse

This information was sent to Hippus by a HandShoe Mouse user, who gave us permission to publish it on our website:

I wanted to share with you some possibly useful experience of the use of the HandShoe Mouse as a sufferer of Dupuytren’s Contracture.

Both my brother and I have Dupuytren and, as my brother is 12 years older than I am, his condition has progressed over a decade ahead of mine. I am now 54, and whilst it is only about 5-6 years since I discovered what the condition was, I can trace back the first appearance of the small nodules maybe 8-9 years. We have both found the condition beginning in the little fingers of each hand and then to some extent on other fingers.

My older brother developed the condition during an extended period living and working abroad, and when he returned some 4 years ago he was at a stage where he began to require medical intervention. He has had two rounds of Xiaflex treatment on both hands, but the condition recurred, especially on his right hand, on which he has since had surgery. As my own condition was gradually developing I became especially interested in the advice he was being given to prevent recurrence, including the use of splints overnight, all of advice aims at keeping the fingers straight as much as possible.

Dupuytren Stretching Exercises

Originally the problem had been worse on my left hand than on my right, but as I persisted with gentle stretching exercises and in taking care to keep my fingers extended as much as possible, the left hand not only stopped getting worse but actually improved significantly, to the point where I can now easily fully straighten all the fingers on this hand. Meanwhile, my right hand continued to worsen, with the little finger impossible to straighten.

Not wishing to undergo invasive therapies if avoidable, I decided to try a spot of experimentation. The one obvious thing that my right hand does that my left doesn’t is to hold a computer mouse for many hours every week. I use a mouse for probably 6 hours out of each 8 hour working day, and I also use a mouse outside of work when using a computer for my own interests, including research and writing as a freelance theatre critic. I figured that the action of gripping and pinching the mouse keeps the fingers (especially the worst-affected little finger) constantly bent, and the number of hours involved gives no opportunity to straighten them properly.

HandShoe-Dupuytren Mouse?

I scoured the market to find a mouse that would allow the fingers to lie straight and decided that the HandShoe mouse might be worth a try. As I had no medical evidence to back this up, I couldn’t in fairness expect my employer to get me one so I bought it myself, and I have now been using it for about 12 weeks.

After the first week I already felt less discomfort in my hand at the end of a working day and after just 2 weeks I began to notice that I was better able to uncurl my fingers. After a month I was able, with effort, to straighten the hand with only about a 10 degree bend left in the little finger.

I have explained this all to my employer and they have agreed to buy me one for work use, so that I don’t have to keep taking my own mouse back and forth from home. My brother is also very interested, as he still works full time and his work as a design engineer involves a lot of CAD, which is very mouse-intensive. He is looking into trying a HandShoe mouse too.

I know that all the above is anecdotal, and with no medical data attached, but I felt that my experience may be of interest to you. It seems to me that the design of the HandShoe mouse, enabling the hand to sit in a relaxed, extended position, makes perfect sense for management of Dupuytren. Whilst it can’t be considered a cure, it certainly helps to compliment the recommended routine of trying to keep the fingers extended as much as possible. If I do need to have medical treatment in future, I’m sure that this mouse will help to reduce or slow down the probability of recurrence.

I hope that my experience is of interest to you, and that others with the Dupuytren condition may benefit from the use of the product too.Hippus N.V.